Dear Reader, 

This book is about my journey with Conversion Disorder and its milder form, the Mind-Body Syndrome. It’s also about my childhood and adulthood leading up to its diagnosis. Every patient has a different experience and manifestations with this condition, and our causes and backgrounds all vary, as do the pathways to improvement. Yet, if someone can feel less alone in reading this, and are able to glean some information in these pages to help them progress in their healing, then my writing was worth it. 

Even during the writing of some of the more difficult passages, my back pain tried to flare, but knowing emotions were the trigger, I could quickly reign it in. And that is just one example of how a person can wrestle with this condition. The mind-body connection is powerful, but I believe the pain or disability can improve over time and with the right frame of mind.

My hope and prayer is that this will be just one stepping stone in your healing journey. So read up, gather your team around you, and let’s get better together!

~Amelia Rey Teale